Editorial

Transparency

It is important to have an informed electorate. It may be even more important in Stockbridge where folks are involved in self-governing.

It is old news that I love Stockbridge and work on Stockbridge Updates for the sole purpose of keeping us informed — an act of love for people among whom I have lived for 50 years.

I am delighted when others join me as contributors, bringing their unique views and wealth of information. It is a special treat when our school superintendent, select board members, police and fire chiefs contribute.

You can imagine my confusion when I received this…

Hi Carole,

In regards to Stockbridge Updates the Conflict of Interest law, G.L. c .268A, § 17(c) prohibits a municipal employee from acting as an agent for anyone other than the municipality regarding a matter in which the municipality has a direct and substantial interest. Thus, when an employee writes a piece at the request of another and uses their official position and work time to do so, the employee is in violation of the Conflict-of-Interest Law. It is also true that an employee who makes statements as part of their official duties is not speaking as citizens for First Amendment purposes and can be subject disciplined or terminated in response to the statements.

Michael J. Canales
Stockbridge Town Administrator
P.O. Box 417
50 Main Street
Stockbridge, MA 01262
Email: TownAdministrator@stockbridge-ma.gov

The Town Administrator wrote to me in his official capacity from his official email. Why? He begins, “in regards to Stockbridge Updates“. How? Was this sent to limit the news covered by Stockbridge Updates, or limit those permitted to contribute to Stockbridge Updates?

It sounds very official and seems to imply a threat to Town workers. That doesn’t sound like Stockbridge. Communicating with the public, transparency of officialdom, a friendly and informative relationship between townsfolks and their government — that sounds like Stockbridge.

I am not a lawyer and do not know if the law referenced is applicable or accurately interpreted. I do know I want to continue to get the best information from the widest number of sources to reach the most Stockbridge folks. I know I do not want to be limited or hindered in doing so without good reason. I know I do not want to hurt anyone — certainly not our Town employees. That is all I know, but to keep Stockbridge well-informed, join me in finding out more.

For example, any town employee, appointee, or elected official can call 617-371-9500. At that number, “The State Ethics Commission… provides free advice to all public employees on the conflict of interest law… ” Read more at www.mass.gov/orgs/state-ethics-commission

by Carole Owens , Managing Editor

News

Events

1. Berkshire Natural Resources Council Saturday February 19 10 am – 1 pm Beginner Wildlife Tracking, The Boulders, Pittsfield
   • Join the Berkshire Environmental Action Team and the Berkshire Natural Resources Council on an outing to look for signs of wildlife. Learn more at: www.bnrc.org
2. Berkshire Botanical Garden February 19 The Eye of the Beholder, via Zoom
   • Edwina Von Gal will present the 25th Annual Winter Lecture and address the obsession with “tidy landscapes” and the introduction of the natural into landscape design. (Register at www.berkshirebotanical.org)
   • February and April School Break Camps: Open February 22 -25 and April 19 – 22 — (Register at www.berkshirebotanical.org)

News

Election Season

The following folks have taken out papers to run for office:

Roxanne McCaffrey: Select Board
Kate Fletcher: Planning Board
Bill Vogt: Planning Board
Terri Iemolini: Town Clerk

News

FYI: Funds Allocated to Repair Berkshire County Bridges

The Commonwealth released a list of 146 bridge-repair projects. Below is the list of funds awarded in Berkshire County to repair our bridges. An estimated $3 billion program, the funds are a combination of federal infrastructure funds and the state transportation bonding bill, both passed last year. It is anticipated that there will be a second round.

Bridges of Berkshire County to receive funding are:

Adams: Quality St. over Hoosic River, $4,584,860
Alford: West Rd. over Scribner Brook, $1,742,308
Becket: Quarry Rd. over Cushman Brook, $2,015,750
Cheshire: Sand Mill Rd. over Dry Brook, $1,920,760
Great Barrington: Division St. over Housatonic River, $13,959,767
Great Barrington: Cottage St. over Housatonic River, $3,850,010
Great Barrington: State Rd. over the Housatonic River, $10,109,566
Lanesborough: Bridge St. over Town Brook, $2,005,593
Lee: Meadow St. over Powder Mill Brook, $1,357,733
Lee: Mill St. over Washington Mountain Brook, $1,140,700
Monterey: Curtis Rd. over Konkapot River, $992,508
New Marlborough: Keyes Hill Rd. over Umpachene River, $2,082,079
North Adams: Route 2 over the Hoosic River, $17,769,440
North Adams: Brown St. over the Hoosic River, $945,192
Pittsfield: Wahconah St. over West Branch Housatonic River, $4,956,034
Pittsfield: Pontoosuc Ave. over West Branch Housatonic River, $2,392,286
Pittsfield: Holmes Road over Housatonic Railroad, $2,616,077
Sheffield: Kelsey Rd. over Schnob Brook, $3,552,995
Tyringham: Jerusalem Rd. over Hop Brook, $2,313,250
Williamstown: Main St. over Hemlock Brook, $1,888,123

News

Notes from the Planning Board, February 1, Hybrid Meeting

Present:

• Bill Vogt, Chair
• Marie Rafftery, Vice Chair
• Nancy Socha
• Gary Pitney
• Jennifer Carmichael, Secretary
• Kate Fletcher via Zoom

1. Minutes of January 4 approved as revised; Minutes of January 18 approved
2. Sign application for a sweet shop at 44 Main Street — meets bylaw requirements — approved. Image of sign shown; Pitney complimented them on a job well done
3. Michael Canales introduced Kara Farrell from Berkshire Regional Planning Commission who will be in Stockbridge on Thursdays as a consultant planner
4. Farrell discussed pluses and minuses of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)
   1. Fletcher asked about the point that ADUs “may change appearance of the neighborhood” Farrell said more cars in parking areas and the appearance of the ADUs could decrease property values.
   2. Others were concerned about the point that any bylaw regulation with respect to ADUs “may not be enforceable”. The Chair pointed out that the PB has an “enforcer”; that is, the Building Inspector. However, Canales said even the Building Inspector or Assessor may not be able to gain access to a private home
   3. The Chair suggested fines or penalties
   4. Canales asked if he and Farrell should continue to work on ADUs? Chair said yes.
   5. Fletcher agreed with Chair and wanted to continue having ADUs on agenda for next meeting in order to hear from Sprague and Slosek (not present)
5. Farrell went over possible needs in Stockbridge
   1. More affordable housing stock
   2. Preservation
   3. More Parking
6. Farrell suggested possible “parking lots”: for example, at the Pine Street tennis courts, St. Paul’s Church back parking lot, Red Lion Inn parking lot, Town Offices parking lot on weekends. Canales said Roxanne McCaffrey suggested the green area on Park Street — others said that was too far from Main Street. Farrell said she would research how far is acceptable from parking to destination (evidently there was a study)
7. Moved on to Cottage Era Estate bylaw
   1. Asked questions about the history of this bylaw and to how many properties this bylaw would apply?
      (For answers go to Stockbridge Updates — Volume II No. 5, Volume II No.7, Volume II No. 17 and Volume III No. 3)
   2. Suggested dropping whole bylaw and looking at subdivision bylaw instead — discussion to continue

Meeting adjourned

News

Notes from the Agriculture and Forestry Commission (AFC), February 7, Hybrid Meeting

Present:

• Matt Boudreau, Chair
• Lisa Bozzuto
• Abby Fredsall via Zoom
• Shelby Marshall via Zoom
• Erik Rasmussen via Zoom

1. Minutes approved as written
2. Chair said the Commission would apply to Community Preservation Committee (CPC) for grants for Town forests as follows:
   1. Treatment of Ice Glen hemlocks
   2. Signs in Ice Glen to direct and inform visitors
3. Discussion of Earth Day, Arbor Day, and Dedication Day (for dedicating Ice Glen as an Old Growth Forest)
   1. Earth Day is April 22, and on April 23rd, in partnership with Austin Riggs, 150 (tree) seedlings with instructions on how to plant a tree written by Fredsall will be distributed
   2. Arbor Day is April 29th
   3. Dedication of Ice Glen will be May 6th (rain date, May 13th)
4. Marshall suggested Laurel Hill Association may stop maintaining Town properties due to cost and liability.
5. Discuss hiring the Forester at next meeting and possibly using a Stewardship grant to pay the Forester
6. Chair met with Mark Faber, Tree Warden, and discussed completing paperwork to become a Tree City as well as planting more trees. Faber said when National Grid takes down a tree or trees, they replace them at no cost to Town. Chair said meeting with Faber went well
7. Bozzuto would like to place ads in Stockbridge Updates for upcoming events and wondered if there was a cost.

Meeting adjourned

Editor’s Note: SU never charges for anything. We are delighted to place all Stockbridge events on Events Calendar and welcome letters and articles with more detailed information (up to 400 words). SU also provides space for bragging rights — let us know if a grant is awarded or an event was a success

News

Notes from the Board of Assessors, February 7, Hybrid Meeting

Present:

• Gary Pitney, Chair
• Tom Stokes
• Doug Goudey
• Michael Blay, Town Assessor
• Michael Canales, Town Administrator

1. Canales explained in preparing the budget, he sought a letter from the Board of Assessors beginning the process of transferring $20,000 from the “Overlay” Surplus to be used for the added costs associated with the “reval” (revaluation- see note) under way this year.
2. This money is put aside each year by the Board of Assessors as required by the Commonwealth to off-set abatements
3. Goudey asked if it is okay to take surplus for expenses; Canales said yes
4. Canales said there was approximately $60,000 in Overlay and might need the balance next year. Canales asked for letter by end of month to assure transfer of $20,000 at the right time.
5. Moved and approved to write letter requesting $20,000 from surplus for “reval” expenses
6. Goudey said we should be proud of our tax rate and spending
7. The Chair moved meeting into executive session

Meeting adjourned

Editor’s note: The Mass Revaluation is an update of all assessments within the community conducted by the Board of Assessors under the direction of the Department of Revenue. Mass law requires that all property in the town be assessed within ten percent of market value every three years.

News

Notes from the Conservation Commission (ConCom), February 8, Hybrid Meeting

Present:

• Ron Brouker, Chair
• Joseph DeGiorgis
• John hart
• Lisa Bozzuto
• Jamie Minacci
• Sally Underwood Miller, Secretary

1. Minutes approved as written
2. Next items on agenda continued because the parties were not present
3. Brent White present on behalf of two properties: Ice Glen Road and Beachwood. White was seeking an Order of Conditions for the Beachwood property to remove trees while ground is still frozen. Trees to be removed are in a wetland and removing when ground is frozen minimizes damage. Order approved
4. Public Hearing
   1. Re: Property north of causeway next to White Pines beach. It is partially in Lake and Pond Overlay District (LPOD) and is an historic structure as well as preexisting and nonconforming. The extant structure is 1000 sq. ft.
   2. New owners wish to tear it down and build a house 2700 sq. ft. It only perc-ed with a system wherein waste is trucked away. There was a disagreement between representative of property and rep of ConCom about improvement of wet land; that is, if trees are removed, more than the number removed would have to be planted. Site visit planned for Wednesday February 16 at 10:30 am. Hearing continued until after site visit
5. Hill Engineering requested a copy of an old (1980s) Certificate of Compliance followed by discussion about files that were incomplete and lost.
6. Site visit to Camp Mahkeenac also on 16th at about 11:15 following the other site visit. Site visit required as the buildings to replace those that burned down have a larger footprint. The Camp is anxious to complete the project before summer
7. Hart mentioned not using “alphabet soup” so Stockbridge Updates and others attending ConCom meetings can follow. [Thanks Hart!]
8. Discussion of preparing Performance Standard to simplify and clarify what is necessary for applicant to bring and sign to obtain permits.
9. Patrick White invited ConCom to walk Lily Pond as it is frozen and therefore passable in winter. ConCom agreed to go on Wednesday February 16
10. Discuss hiring Conservation Agent at next meeting. Shep Evans’ name was mentioned.

Meeting adjourned

News

Notes from the Select Board (SB), February 10, Hybrid Meeting

Present:

• Roxanne McCaffrey, Chair
• Chuck Cardillo
• Patrick White
• Michael Canales, Town Administrator

Approximately a dozen attended via Zoom — named if they spoke

1. Discussion about continuing hybrid meetings tabled by Chair until after the Commonwealth makes a recommendation in April.
   1. White asked why? It will only be a recommendation left for localities to make final decision. White continued given age of population and percentage of second homeowners, Zoom would enhance attendance.
   2. McCaffrey said it was waste of time before Governor decided and also Chairs should each make ultimate decision about how to run meetings. No further discussion
2. Canales said Stockbridge received $564,934 from The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)
   $38,000 was already given to Tri-Town Health and there is $531,134 left. How did SB wish to spend it?
   1. If Town declares the whole amount “lost revenue” then it will have until 2026 to spend it
   2. If spent on infrastructure there is a multiplier effect, that is, could use to match grants to qualify for more money
   3. White mentioned other ways to spend the funds. Individual Stockbridge businesses were hurt during COVID19, and one possibility is to grant a portion of the funds to Stockbridge businesses. White also mentioned Pine Woods’ need for boilers. Canales said no, would have to set aside for specific purposes and then businesses or Construct (Pine Woods) could apply
3. There is an opening on Pay In Lieu of Taxes Committee (PILOT) if anyone is interested
4. There was something called a “Project Priority Update” It was like a long ToDo list. White said it was aspirational and might be the basis of a Master Plan. McCaffrey disagreed.
5. Paul Sundberg lives in the neighborhood of Curtisville Bridge which was deemed unsafe and closed years ago. He asked if a temporary pedestrian-only bridge could be built until the other bridge — an historic 1842 bridge — could be addressed. White seemed to support at least an exploration of the idea, but it erupted in dispute between McCaffrey, Canales, and Sundberg about cost estimates, and whether to consider a temporary bridge even though a permanent solution may take many more years.
6. McCaffrey asked how soon would Talbot Center be demolished? Canales said soon
7. Canales is working on plans for new Salt Shed as old one has to be demolished
8. Again, White mentioned the aspirational list presented might be part of a Master Plan but McCaffrey said it was not intended simply as a way of prioritizing work to be done. White explained if part of a Master Plan there would be input from residents; this way there has been none.

Meeting adjourned

Perspective

Happy Birthday

A Special Happy Birthday to two nonagenarians Joanna Franz Humphries and Shirley Franz Miller. They are, respectively, 92 and 94. See below.

Perspective

A Special Thank You

A Special Thank You to the Berkshire Scenic Railway Museum, Inc. and its Board of Directors. BSRM saved the day by accommodating The Tuesday Club of Stockbridge for their spring meetings at the Stockbridge Train Station. BSRM is a good neighbor and a great asset to our community.

Perspective

20 Bridges of Stockbridge

Part three — conclusion

Once a town highway bridge, the Lester or Butler Bridge, as it was variously called, on Butler Road is open only to foot traffic today. Just south of the Norman Rockwell Museum, this is Berkshire’s oldest surviving metal bridge. Constructed in 1882, the 88-foot bridge is a pinned wrought iron half-through truss. The design is based on a pattern developed by Ohio engineer August Borneman, who received a patent in 1879 for a “bedstead” truss.

Historic American Engineering Record has documented this bridge, calling it “an apparently unique example of a small highway bridge designed by the preeminent bridge engineer George Shattuck Morrison, who is remembered primarily for his long-span railroad bridges and his service with the Panama Canal Commission.” J.H. Burghardt of Curtisville built the abutments.

When we reach Glendale, the river crosses at the still-active Glendale Middle Road bridge (14). The previous bridge on this site, a 117-foot Berlin Iron Bridge Co. lenticular-style metal bridge, collapsed in a spectacular auto accident in 1974. The driver of a sports car struck the side of the bridge midway through and it buckled into the water. Berlin (or its predecessor, Corrugated Metal Co.) put up more highway bridges in the Berkshires than any other company in the latter half of the 19th century.

The present 1978 bridge, 107 feet long, was installed by Boston Bridge Works.

Visible just to the east of this crossing are stone piers of another Berkshire Street Railway bridge (15), which brought the line in and through Glendale village. Actually, for a very brief time, there were side-by-side trolley bridges here. Besides the permanent one mentioned, there was a temporary span (16) built on a wooden trestle when the line was first put through in 1905. A photo of the two spans is shown in O.R. Cummings’ history, Berkshire Street Railway (1972).

There’s a phantom bridge crossing here (17), connecting with Dry Bridge Road (now called Mohawk Lake Road). The crossing existed only on paper. It’s shown in the 1876 Beers Atlas of Berkshire County map of Stockbridge. It would have carried the Lee & Hudson Railroad over the river, had that line been completed in 1875. But the rail line was abandoned. Ledge cuts and fills for the track bed are still to be found near Mohawk Lake and in West Stockbridge. The Berkshire Street Railway used the Lee & Hudson right-of-way over or near this proposed crossing.

Continuing on Route 183 toward Housatonic, just below the hydroelectric station, abutments are visible to a bridge (18) built decades ago to enable service to the upstream dam (which was originally built to power a textile factory).

Continuing toward Housatonic village, a steel girder Housatonic Railroad bridge (19) brings the rail line to the north side of the river.

And just before the Great Barrington line, at Alger Furnace, abutments can be seen at low water for the last bridge in Stockbridge (20). This span provided access to the south side of the river to maintain the furnace’s dam there, and to bring charcoal down the mountain to fire the ironworks.

by Bernie Drew

The Last Word

Reader to Reader

Dear Carole,

Great reporting — many thanks — we are blessed to have this resource.

Mary Balle

Dear Mary,

Thank you for the kind words. You will note this was written a while ago. Sorry it took so long to post. It was due to what my grandmother called good trouble. We receive so any letters, one or more gets lost. But here is yours. Hope it is a case of better late than never.

Thank you, Carole

Dear Carole,

I privately had the idea [starting a Town newspaper] several years ago, when town politics was at a low point, that we would all benefit from (a) more information about the running of our town (most of us don’t have the time to attend every board and committee meeting) and (b) more opportunities for the year-round residents of the town to come together and forge relationships (e.g., Founder’s Day celebration). As a working dad and husband, I just don’t much time to contribute to such efforts at the moment.

I often think of journalism in the language of “necessary and sufficient conditions” that was impressed upon me when I was in law school: thoughtful journalism may not be sufficient on its own to create a healthy democracy, but it is absolutely a necessary condition of such a democracy. Your efforts, and those of the other contributors to Stockbridge Updates, help create a more informed citizenry, and for that I am grateful.

All the best,

Jon Geldert

Dear Jon,

Aren’t you nice! Please contribute your thoughts to SU any time.

Thank you, Carole

Dear Carole,

Here’s a condensed version of what happened at the Feb. 10 Select Board Meeting. As requested, the Select Board included an item on the agenda as follows: “Discussion of Stockbridge Democratic Town Committee Warrant Article request that requires the continuation of hybrid and remote meetings”.

There was a brief discussion of the pros and cons of hybrid meetings during which Patrick White pointed out that the unique characteristics of Stockbridge and our residents increase the importance of continuing hybrid meetings. The board acknowledged receiving a significant number of emails in support of hybrid meetings. I thank those who wrote to express your opinion.

The chair acknowledged that the town has the technology in place to continue hybrid meetings. However the SB tabled the agenda item until a future meeting. They decided to wait and see if the state issues legislation on this topic. They expect it to be mid-March since the Governor’s extension ends April 1. Roxanne asked Michael Canales to post a handout of the presentation that she and Patrick attended on the topic of remote meetings. I’ll send the link when it’s available.

The Democratic Town Committee will pursue this. Transparency is a priority. There will still be time for the select board to discuss and vote on supporting a warrant article.

As a postscript, sadly, I am a good example of the benefit of remote meetings. I attended the Feb 10 meeting in person but due to snow, ice and physical issues, I was late. The continuation of hybrid meetings is a priority. It enables increased participation by committee members as well as full and part-time residents.

Anita Schwerner

Anita,

Thank you for your efforts — many agree with you

Best wshes,

Carole

Hi Carole,

Kathy Beebe from the Stockbridge Library gave me a solution to the picture-too-big-to-fit-on-one-screen problem. Hold down the Ctrl key and move the mouse wheel toward you to decrease size, away from you to increase size. Worked like a charm for this issue’s pictures. Note: This will adjust the whole window contents, including text size.

Thanks, Pat Flinn

Hi Pat — thank you.

As always you contribute wherever you go.

Carole

Dear Carole,

I used to fish a lot around here 50 years ago. You could still catch native brook trout in the Stockbridge Bowl back then. There were brown trout in Larrywaug Brook. We did not know much about PCBs in the Housatonic. Yet.

I was always outside, and it looked different here in Stockbridge than it does now. There were fewer tall trees. We were still connected ever so slightly to the earlier farming era of the town, so there were more fields, some still in use for hay, some well along in reverting to scrubby second growth forest, but not tall.

You could see. Ridge lines were more in evidence everywhere. More lines of sight, long and profound in places. The deep orange and pink sunsets touched more places than they do today, playing off the fields and hills. Much of the Bowl was visible from Tanglewood. Not many trees were taller than me from the front of my house down to Larrywaug Brook.

At night there was no ambient light pollution from Lenox, or beyond Prospect Hill. Not a lot of streetlights. The Four Corners intersection of Rts. 102 and 183 was regulated by a couple of stop signs, not the eternal blinking traffic light.

We had a bigger sky and billions of stars, an astronomer’s dream.

Now the trees are tall and the sky not so big. I have missed the old-fashioned look of farmland in the town’s outer belt. We have more houses. Many views are gone. Unless the trees surround you, you can see ambient light on the horizons most nights. The little second growth pines are now grand forests.

The same trees that took the views are the trees that are helping to cool us in the growing heat of summer. I see just a little of the hills from my house now, but I know that nature has been getting us ready. The trees scrub and clean the very air we breathe. These are nature’s changes, not mankind’s, and they may help save us in spite of ourselves.

I cannot find a shooting star so easily now, but I know they are there, and this is still Stockbridge. It has not really changed that much. Yet. Hold it close as long as you can. Keep it safe. there are not many towns like this left.

Bruce Blair

Dear Bruce,

Gosh you bring back memories as I arrived 50 years ago and remember what you describe.

What a lovely word picture.

Thank you, Carole